Apparatus for extracting oil vapors from crankcases for use as fuel



July 28, 1953 J. E. M KEEVER 2,646,784 APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING OIL VAPORS FROM CRANKCASES FOR USE AS FUEL Filed Sept. 18, 1951 INVENTOR. J E M fi'e e ver WWW ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTIN G OIL VAPORS FROM CRANKCASES FOR USE AS FUEL John E. McKeever, Forsyth, Mont.

Application September 18, 1951, Serial No. 247,166

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and is directed particularly to improvements relating to the fuel system.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a simple and novel device for removing gases and vapors from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine and introducing such removed gases and vapors into the intake manifold of the engine for mixture with the fuel vapors whereby fuel economy results and the vapors from the crankcase which ordinarily are discharged into the air and frequently find their way into the vehicle, are prevented from becoming an annoyance to the vehicle operator and occupants of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for accomplishing the above described object-which employs the vacuum pump which forms a part of the combination fuel and vacuum pump unit commonly employed on motor vehicles,

to extract the vapors from the crankcase and pump the same into the carburetor tube leading to the intake manifold of the vehicle engine.

The present invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shownand described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating more or less diagrammatically the invention as connected between the windshield wiper vacuum booster pump and the pipe connectingthe vehicle carburetor with theintake manifold, parts of the structure being in section and broken away.

Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of a type of needle control valve which may be employed in the device.

Figure 3 illustrates on a small scale an additional feature by which the gases may be washed before passing through the control valve.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the numeral I0 generally designates a combination fuel pump and vacuum booster pump which is standard equipment on the majority of motor vehicles.

At the top portion of the pump structure are designated pipe connections l2 and M by which the pump draws fuel from the supply tank and sends it on to the bowl of the carburetor in the usual well known manner.

In the lower part of the pump unit, the part It functions as a vacuum booster for the operation of the vehicle windshield wiper. Such vacuum pump portion it has an intake or suction line i8 connected therewith and an outlet or discharge coupling at the point 20. I

The numeral 22 designates a housing which is mounted upon a part of the crankcase structure, designated 24, and secured as indicated at 25. This housing opens into the crankcase by way of the portZG and encloses the upwardly extending rod 21 which extends into the top of the housing 22 and is operatively coupled with the actuating lever, not shown, for the diaphragms which are enclosed within the pump unit 10.

No illustration has been made of the various internal parts of the pump or their connection with the rod 21 which is reciprocated by the vehicle engine to operate the pump, since such parts are all standard and well known structure.

The pipe 23 leads to the motor vehicle windshield wiper operating motor, which motor is vacuum operated by the vacuum part Hi of the pump and this pipe line is normally connected directly with the suction line l8 so that the vacuum pump operates the windshield wiper when the wiper control valve, not shown, is open.

In carrying out the present invention the top part of the housing 22 for the pump operating rod 21 is drilled and tapped as indicated at 29 to receive the suction nipple 30.

The lines [8 and 28 are separated and have in serted therein the T-coupling which is generally designated 3|, which provides a direct line connection between the pipes 58 and 28 and which has the lateral arm 32 with which is connected one side or one end of a valve unit which is generally designated 33. The other end or other side of the valve unit 33 is connected with the nipple 30.

This valve unit 33 is preferably in the form of a needle valve which, as shown in Figure 2, has the body portion34 between the two ends of the body with which the nipple 30 and T-coupling arm 32 are connected, the division wall 35 having the small axial bore 36 therethrough. The valve stem is designated 3'! and, as shown, has the needle point 38 which may be projected into the tapered socket 39 to shut off the flow of vapor through the valve passage 36.

The numeral 43 designates a portion of the motor vehicle intake manifold with which is connected the tube 4! leading from the carbureter. In this tube is located the throttle valve 42.

Connected with the vacuum pump exhaust side at the nipple or coupling 20, is an end of a tube or conduit 43 which has its other end connected into the intake manifold 48 below the carbureter coupling and the throttle or butterfly valve 42 of the carburetor.

In the operation of the device as thus far described, when the fuel and Vacuum pump is in operation and the windshield wiper motor is shut oif, the valve 33 is opened and thus oil vapors which form in the. crankcase and which rise into the upper part thereof, will enter the housing 22 and will be drawn off by the suction applied by the vacuum pump [8 through the nipple 3B, the valve 33 and the pipe line [8. As the vacuum pump draws the vapors from the crankcase through the housing 22 it will then send them on through the outlet 29 and the tube 43 into the carbureter fuel tube M... It will be readily apparent also that in addition to the suction and pumping action provided by the vacuum pump it, the movement of these vapors into the intake manifold 48 will be assisted by the natural suction of the engine pistons which is depended upon to draw the fuel vapors into the piston cylinders.

When it is necessary to operate the windshield wiper the valve 33 may be partly or completely closed if desired so as not to slow up the windshield wiper motor action.

As an auxiliary apparatus to the above described structure for preventing any possible interference with the needle valve by the accumulation of gum orsludge therein, as might occur in the movement of the crankcase vapors through the valve, the vapors may be passed through a wash bottle as illustrated in Figure 3 where such bottle is generally designated This wash bottle may be of any suitable character having the lid or cover 5i which is mounted upon the bottle proper which is designated 52 and the cover would have run therethrough a pipe line 35303 which is connected in the outlet opening 29 of the housing 22 and extending into the bottle to a point near the bottom thereof so as to be completely immersed in the Wash liquid 53.

Leading from the top 55 of the wash receptacle is the outlet pipe 3%, the end of which pipe which is within the bottle, being located above the top of the liquid 53 so that only the washed vapors will enter the pipe 301). This pipe leads then to the needle valve which isv here designated 33a.

This valve 33a is then connected with the T- coupling 3| in the same manner as illustrated in Figure 1.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that there is provided in the present invention a means for removing the different vapors from the crankcase and utilizing the same in the operation of the engine by mixing such vapors with the fuel gases passing from the carburetor to the intake manifold. Thus the device provides for economy in the operation of the engine and it also removes and destroys those vapors which, as previously pointed out, are either discharged into the atmosphere or may get into the motor vehicle to the annoyance of the occupants.

In a set-up using a washing bottle of the character described, the wash liquid could be of any one of a number of different kinds a water, a mixture of water and alcohol, oil or the preparation known as Casite or some suitable type of motor cleaner of a nature similar to Casite. Use might also be made of kerosene which, with certain of the other liquids named would also add to the efficiency of the engine in that some of the vapors of such liquids would enter the fuel mixture and thus add to the operating efficiency of the. machine. The gases or vapors coming from the crankcase would, of course, be warm and would thus tend to evaporate some of the liquid in the washer to obtain the advantages set forth.

It has also been found in actual practice that by the use of this device the employment of the gases as they come from the motor crankcase lessens the pre-ignition or pinging to a noticeable extent.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion motor including a crankcase, a vacuum pump and a fuel intake; a pipe line having an end in communication with the interior of the crankcase to receive vapors therefrom, a connection between the other end of said pipe and the suction side of said pump, a second pipe line having an end connected with the exhaust side of the pump, and a coupling between the other end of the second pipe line and said fuel intake.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, with a T coupling in the first pipe line and having a suction pipe leading therefrom for connection with a windshield Wiper motor, and a control valve interposed between said coupling and the firs-t mentioned end of the first named pipe line.

3. The invention according to claim 2', with means in the first named pipe line between said valve and said first mentioned end of the first named pipe line for washing gases passing from the crankcase to and through the valve.

JOHN E. MCKEE'VER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,394,747 Little Oct. 25, 1921 1,936,111 Hauke Nov. 21, 1933 1,960,982 Stover May 29, 1934 2,114,240 Sharrard Apr. 12, 1938 

